Page 49 of Bossed By the Orc

I tried to focus on the pie that I’d snuck in from the kitchen, tucking happily into it and releasing my own moan. She shook her head at me.

“I can’t believe you’re eating my pie instead of this incredible dessert,” she scoffed.

I quirked an eyebrow at her, taking another bite of the pie and licking my lips hungrily as I dipped my gaze to her breasts. “I’d choose your pie any day of the week.”

A little breath puffed out from between her lips and they parted around it, the scent of her arousal spiking. We sat there, staring at each other for a full minute before I stood from my spot at the table. I was too damn far away. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t move, keeping me in her line of vision until I was standing in front of her.

“I want more with you, rega,” I said, my voice low and meaningful.

She looked up at me with lust and trepidation warring in her gaze. She stood too, pressing her hand to my chest, but not to push me away. Her fingers curled against my chest, greedy and clinging.

“Dristan, I want more too, but I can’t,” she whispered. “If I could have you without having to worry about anything else, don’t you think I would?”

She was in my arms before I could think better of it, lifting her easily onto the table and clearing it behind us, the loud clang and shatter of dishes as they fell to the floor not jarring me from my focus on her.

I leaned into her, burying my face in her hair and taking a hit of her scent. I hadn’t been this close to her in too long. She hesitated at first, but in increments, she gripped me closer, spreading her legs to make room for me between them.

“Dristan,” she whispered, her palms flattening against my chest. I stiffened, wondering if she would push me away, but she skimmed them upward until she wrapped her arms around my neck, holding me close in a hug that I was in desperate need of. I tugged her closer, our bodies pressed tight—and intimate.

“I want this with you,” I told her, baring my soul in a way that I wouldn’t with anyone else. “I want this closeness, this feeling of belonging. Sometimes I feel like I don’t belong anywhere, but with you I feel like I’m home.” I rubbed my tusks along her throat and my female’s fingers dug into me.

It felt so good that I tightened my arms around her. I didn’t want to squeeze her too tight, but her touch was soothing the parts of me that I hadn’t even been aware needed soothing.

“Dristan,” she murmured, and I swiped my tongue over the sensitive skin of her throat, making her shudder. “You make me feel like I belong, too.” Her words were a low admission, and she held on when I tried to pull away from her. “I want this with you and you know that. But my family...”

“Let me take care of them too, rega,” I whispered, running my palm up her back, feeling her shiver as I did. “I’ll carry the world on my shoulders if you ask me to.”

A drip of moisture landed on my cheek and I tried harder to pull away, but she clung to me, and I didn’t want to hurt her. I stayed there, letting her seek comfort in me, wishing I could do more than just hold her.

“I want to get us out of this hole on my own, okay?” she whispered and I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to not say anything that could put my entire foot into my mouth the way I usually did with her. I’d been vulnerable with her and now my female was opening up to me. I needed to show her that I was capable of responding without becoming a wrecking ball and taking everything over—something I wasn’t sure was actually true. But I could try. For her.

“Okay,” I murmured against her hair. “But I’m here if you need me.”

She lifted her face, pressing her lips to mine. My eyes slid closed as I cupped the back of her head in my palm, cradling her to me. She was the most precious thing I owned and I wasn’t going to let anything hurt her.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Penelope

I kissed Dristan, pouring my gratitude into it. No one except my parents and best friend had ever offered to help me with no strings attached. He was offering his vast power and leverage, but he’d already done so much for me.

By giving me my job, he’d already provided me with the opportunity to fix everything. I was going to pull us out of the hole we were in and when we were out, I was going to grab onto this male with both hands.

I just couldn’t look myself in the eye if I let him take care of everything now that I was able to. I deepened the kiss, burying one hand into his thick, shiny hair while the other cupped his face, caressing the beard I loved so much.

“I want you,” he pulled away from my lips to tell me, the reverberation of his words echoing inside me. “But I’m not going to push you, rega. Tell me when I can have you.”

I snorted out a laugh, swiping away the tears. Even when this male was being romantic, he couldn’t stop the bossiness. “When everything’s settled with my family,” I told him, stroking my fingers through his beard.

He nodded, but his brow was furrowed. “That isn’t an exact date,” he probed, searching my face.

I rolled my eyes, leaning up to smack a kiss across his lips, fitting neatly between his tusks. “I know,” I quipped. “Because I don’t have an exact date.” I bit my lip as I tugged his lower lip between my teeth. “But I want this.”

I filled him in on everything that’s been going on. There was no point in keeping it from him now.

He gave a low grunt before releasing me. “Good. Now stop tempting me with your sexiness,” he grumbled, moving around the table to clean up the dishes that had fallen to the floor.

My eyes went wide when I saw the mess we’d made. I hurried around to him, but he barked a sharp admonishment to stop me, pointing toward the sofa in the living area. “If you get cut, I’ll demote you,” he growled and I hid a smile at the empty threat before backing away.

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